The Kyuubi and the Kit
by ShadowFaeyre
Summary: KyuuxMinato A little SasuNaru later. A story before Naruto's birth. From the day his parents first met, to the birth of their child.
1. There's something special about you

YaoiShadow: I know I should be working on my other fics, but…. I've been dying to do one of these! (And I've been obsessed with KyuuAra lately; there's not enough out there I tell you, not enough!)

Kyuubi: Crazy bitch…

Arashi: (Disclaimer) YaoiShadow only owns a Kyuubi cosplay and some fan art. Other than that, she owns nothing! 3

YaoiShadow: Gee, thanks. TAT And don't forget my blue prints for kidnapping Kishimoto-sensei!

Kyuubi: Like I said: Crazy bitch….

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Chapter 1: That Stormy Night

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It was a cold and stormy night, that January twenty-fifth. Rain and harsh winter winds lashed at the hospital window relentlessly, making it hard for the medics to easily hear their patient's requests and complaints.

However, the voices in the furthest room on the fourth floor, one of the labor and delivery rooms, could be heard clearly.

"Give me some back up here!" an older medic-nin roared above the chaos that raged outside. Her expression was fierce and her long purple hair was sticking out haphazardly out of the hastily bundled bun.

Several of her subordinates scurried about frantically, trying to keep up with all of the orders fired off at them.

In the center of the white-washed room lay a pale, dark-headed woman, her brow creased in pain and effort. Her legs were bent and her feet were placed firmly on the corners of a white-sheeted bed.

"Hold on, Namikaze-san!" on of the less-experienced healers urged, grasping the woman's ghostly hand.

_:: She's too weak. ::_ the first healer thought grimly, poised to assist the oncoming baby in it's arrival into the world, _:: She's not going to make it. ::_

"It's almost here, Maki-sempai!" one of the girls warned, dabbing the soon-to-be mother's face with a damp towel.

Bracing herself, the experienced healer called to her patient, "Alright Namikaze-san, just one last push!"

_:: And try to stay alive…::_

With a labored breath, the dark-headed female grunted and urged her baby to come forth, using the last of her energy to do so.

"Got it!" Maki cried, cutting the child's umbilical cord quickly.

As she passed the newborn to an awaiting nurse, the middle-aged woman turned to her patient, not liking the condition the other female was in, "She's fading! Aoki, lend me your chakra! Get me a Jounin in here!"

"Hai, Maki-sempai!" the other replied, bustling around to do as they were told.

In the corner of the room, the younger nurse was wrapping the now bawling baby boy in a blue blanket, silently praying for the child's mother.

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-Ara-

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In two hours, Namikaze Yachiru was pronounced dead.

"Shouldn't we find the child's father?" a rookie asked, glancing through the glass of the nursery window.

"Namikaze-kun died a month ago." One of the Jounin sighed, still grief-stricken at the news of his female teammate's death.

"I'm certain Hokage-sama will see to the child's safety." Another stated encouragingly, trying to soothe everyone's fears.

The group of shinobi stole a glance at the unfortunate child, a small boy with a tuft of golden hair and brilliant blue eyes, reminding them so much of his father.

Inside the nursery, Maki was staring down at the slumbering Namikaze child, her expression stony.

"What about the child's name, Maki-sempai?" the nurse in charge of the ward asked, leaning against the sink.

The woman remained silent for a moment, listening to the raging weather outside.

Hesitantly stroking soft golden locks, she whispered softly, "Mi-

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-Kyuu-Ara-Kyuu-Ara-Kyuu-Ara-Kyuu-Ara-Kyuu-Ara-Kyuu-Ara-Kyuu-Ara-Kyuu-Ara

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"-nato!" the teacher reprimanded, swinging around the open door and glaring at the retreating blond figure.

"Sorry, Nanao-sensei!" the blond boy laughed, his little legs working to the best of their ability and his long red jacket flying around him as he fled from the academy; the child's peers were staring at him in awe through the windows.

In the student's mind, it was too good a day to spend indoors, wasting his mind away on books; all of the instructors agreed that Namikaze Minato was a wonder in training and other physical exercises, but positively _hated_ bookwork. The boy was a genius, but was very free spirited and often ditched class before he could put it to much use.

Minato didn't lessen his hard pace until he had cleared the village gates, waving cheerily at the amused Jounin standing guard there.

All of the older Jounin were accustomed to the eight-year old skiving off class at this time of day; and each time, he would run to the gates to spend the rest of the day playing out in the forest surrounding the village.

The first time he had done this, the elite shinobi had attempted to bring him back to the academy; however, Minato struggled every inch of the way and had tried to coerce the men into letting him stay. In the end, the ninja had agreed, as long as one of them was allowed to watch him from a distance incase the youngster got into trouble. It was a mutual understanding.

Now he often stopped by to chat with the guardians of Konoha, catching them up with what he was learning in school and in turn, they filled him in on their lives as shinobi and how their families were doing, as well as sharing their lunches.

Today, it was obvious the boy was eager to go exploring the forest, for he didn't even slow down at the tree-lined edge.

In a yellow blur, he had passed the first ring of trees and was hurtling over the large roots and under the low-lying branches. His goal was burning brightly in his mind as he tore through the foliage.

This was his own secret sanctuary of privacy, the forests of Konoha. He had memorized the network of forestry in a five-mile radius around the village, and he was still working at it, hoping to one day know every inch of his beloved village and the surrounding area.

Perhaps the young Namikaze went out a bit too far into the forest for the council's liking, but he couldn't help it; the scenery was too breathtaking.

Minato took his usual path, winding deeper into the green world that seemed to only include him and his thoughts and dreams.

In his fantasy world, he was a fearless shinobi, fighting off evil ninja from rival nations, protecting the village he loved, and its inhabitants who came to appreciate him.

Right now, for instance, he was an ANBU sent out into Kusagakure territory to retrieve a secret scroll before the enemy. In reality, the 'scroll' was a nearby twig, and his 'enemy' was a lone squirrel, perched on a high tree branch.

To him, he and the squirrel were racing for the twig, but in actuality, the curious squirrel was running off to investigate the strange scent of blood in the air.

Picking up his flimsy wooden branch, Minato gazed up at the retreating mammal.

"Squirrel-san? Where are you going?" it wasn't only his loneliness that called for the rodent, but also his curiosity: the way the squirrel was acting seemed odd to him.

He pulled his jacket closer to his body before following his ex-'rival', keeping an eye out for potential danger. The eight-year old followed a small shallow stream, taking note in his mind were he was so as to not get lost.

It didn't take very long for him to come across the object of interest. There, in the center of a small clearing, lay a small wounded fox.

Minato edged closer to the bleeding animal, his mind caught between helping the poor creature and risk the chance of being bitten, or leaving and dealing with the guilt; it didn't help that foxes were his favorite animals.

To help make up his mind, the blond boy carefully held his hand out, letting the weary fox sniff his hand. To his amazement, the mammal nuzzled, then licked his hand before laying its brown head down onto the soft sweet-smelling grass.

Minato swiftly whipped his favorite jacket from his body, propping it under the fox's head. He then scratched the fox lovingly behind the ears as he searched the blood-stained fur for the wound. His fingers prodded around the dense hair, finally finding a deep cut on the small thigh.

_:: Looks like he was cut with a kunai. ::_ the boy thought icily, a deep loathing for some of the more unruly villagers flooding his senses.

The human promptly got to his feet, worming his jacket from under the fuzzy head and proceeded to the quiet stream. He ripped the cloth in his hands in half, dipping one half into the crystal clear water. After a few seconds, he brought it back out and wringed it out thoroughly.

Returning to the fox, the blond dabbed the now damp cloth on the wound (the fox flinched slightly) and the surrounding fur, trying to clean as much as he could.

Once he was done with that, he wrapped the other half of his jacket tightly around the small thigh.

"There you are kitsune-san." Minato smiled gently, laying back on the grass and closing his eyes. He basked in the warmth of the sun and the cool breeze, lulled by the harmony of the stream and rustling leaves.

Before he knew it, he had dozed off; his right hand unconsciously nestled in the fox's lush fur.

It was only when the fox's head popped up into the air, sniffing testily, that Minato awoke.

"Kitsune-san?" he asked groggily, his brilliant blue eyes fluttering open.

He groaned as he sat up, trying to stretch his aching muscles. During this process, the academy student came face to face with a large red fox, piercing golden-ruby eyes glaring at him squarely in the face.

Instead of screaming, like most stupid people would do, Minato stayed still and silent, observing the new-comer warily. This fox was obviously larger than the first, and had red and orange-ish fur with black-tipped ears and tail; speaking of, he also noticed that there were _nine_ tails (as if the things size wasn't disturbing enough!).

Now, Minato wasn't an expert on animals (that was generally left to the Inuzuka clan), but he _did_ know enough to deduce that the red mammal before him appeared to be an alpha male, which made the human's situation more dire. If he was in the alpha's territory, and if the smaller fox was his mate, the Namikaze could bid his short life goodbye.

However, the red one of the two animals only stared at him, occasionally glancing back at the other. Minato's injured fox 'friend' was hunched low to the ground, its tail between its legs and its eyes downcast; yup, he was definitely dealing with an alpha.

It seemed the alpha male grew tired after ten minutes into their staring contest, for he slowly turned his back on the human and left to sniff at his pack mate's wound.

_:: If I try to run, he'll kill me… :: _Minato thought worriedly, he didn't want to stay here all night just because a _fox_ didn't like him tending to the other fox's wounds.

_:: If _this_ is how my kindness is repaid, I probably should have just left the thing. ::_ But in his heart of hearts, he knew he wouldn't have changed his decision; he wasn't that cold-hearted.

After the large kitsune was done inspecting the red make-shift bandage tied around the hunched-one's thigh, he turned his attention back to the human.

To Minato's surprise, a red energy, it appeared to be chakra, began to swirl around the furred creature. In a matter of moments, a tall red-headed man knelt before him.

The figure appeared to be at least six feet tall, maybe two or more inches than that, and had red fox ears and nine tails, all tipped in black as the alpha kitsune's had been. A long open sleeve-less red jacket was draped over strong pale shoulders, collecting in a mass on the grassy floor at bare feet and the hem of long black pants, bringing Minato's attention to the now-noticeable claw-like finger and toe-nails, as well as the glistening fangs protruding from the frowning mouth. The last, and most stunning features in his opinion, were the gold and ruby eyes staring at him in some degree of interest, and the swirled pattern that was tattooed around the bare navel, red fiery symbols accenting the spiral mark.

Instantly, the mortal's mouth opened slightly in awe; there were many stories in the village about kyuubi no youko, but to actually _meet_ one… and one so powerful and attractive…

"You. Human kit." The creature said, his deep, alluring voice sending shivers of fear and pleasure down the blond's spine, adding to the child's excitement.

"Yes?" the human shot back with a force showing more confidence than what he actually felt.

"You are responsible for this?" A clawed finger pointed at the red bandage tied around the still 'kneeling' fox.

"I am. I used my jacket to try to stop the bleeding."

Without a sound, the humanoid fox got to his feet and padded silently over to his (apparent) subordinate. Cutting the bandage effortlessly with a nail, he allowed the cloth to drop to the ground as he eyed the wound. Though it had stopped bleeding, it still needed treatment in Minato's eyes; but the fox had begun to clean the wound with his tongue, healing the small cut with his chakra.

The blond human winced at the unhygienic gesture, unable to fathom the contamination that could result.

Once the cleaning was done, the red fox pulled back, licking his chops clean. It appeared he expected the smaller mammal to leave as soon as he had completed his task for, when it didn't move, he snarled.

"_Go_ Kaiya." He growled.

The now identified vixen whimpered, but remained where she lay, staring up at Minato with wide brown eyes.

The nine-tailed alpha growled threateningly, but soothed his subordinate's fears, "I won't harm the kit. Now _leave_."

Kaiya shot another look up at the Namikaze and padded off silently into the underbrush of the forest, tail between her legs.

"You're going to keep your word to her, aren't you?" Minato asked bravely, his eyes focused on the muscular form above him.

"What do you take me for, human kit?" the red-head asked lazily, waving his hand slowly in the air as he did so.

As if being commanded to, the other few animals scurried off; but perhaps, Minato thought, maybe he WAS ordering them….

"Now, to deal with you…"

"W-wait, Kitsune-sama! I didn't hurt Kaiya-san, I swear!" the child argued, his bright blue eyes glaring at the taller male.

"I know you didn't." The other stated calmly, folding his strong bare arms across his un-clothed chest, "So shut up and listen, brat."

The blond closed his mouth and drew his knees up to his chest, wrapping his skinny arms around them. He should have never skipped class today, then, he would have been home by now. His lonely little apartment might be a bit dreary, but at least he would feel safe, instead of trying to stare down a demon.

"It's far too dangerous for a human brat to wander around here; unless you'd ENJOY being eaten…"

Minato blinked in surprise; was the kitsune actually concerned for him?

"You must return to your pathetic little village and never return to this place. Understood?"

The dazed blond shook his head to bring him back to reality, "Wait a minute…. Huh? Why not? I've been playing out here since I was four!"

Cold eyes descended upon him, effectively shutting him up, "The forest has grown far more hazardous these days, I-"

"It has? Do you mean the poachers who attacked Kaiya-san?"

The interruption earned him another foul look, "Not only they, but demons; those whom you have no possible chance against." As he said this, the nameless demon placed himself gracefully upon the green ground, crossing his legs and observing the human child closely.

"Though admittedly, you'd make a nice slave if that mouthy side of yours were to be beaten out of you."

At this, the student shivered.

Seeing his reaction, the red head smirked, ruffling the blond locks, "You have a reason to be frightened, but I won't allow them to touch you."

Pink flushed the eight-year olds cheeks; his small hand clasping the fox's clawed one.

"I'm Namikaze Minato, eight-years old."

The fox's previous harshness instantly melted before the sudden sweet shyness of the blond, "I'm –"

Suddenly, a rather large animal leapt from the bushes, grabbing the younger of the two in the clearing.

"Well, well Kyuubi, who would've thought that YOU of all people would be seen with a human brat? Very entertaining."

Though Minato was hanging dangerously by the collar of his shirt in the jaws of the animal, he could 'feel' that it was a coyote.

_:: But it'd have to be at least five feet tall…! And since when do coyotes talk:: _

The demon fox, Kyuubi, got to his feet, red chakra swirling around him in his anger, "Release him, Taki."

_:: How the hell could I have missed his chakra signature::_

The grey coyote cackled, "What's this? You have FEELINGS for this runt? You're more pathetic than I thought!" the sleazy-sounding canine knelt down on his haunches, and pounced up onto a tree limb, "Well, if you want him, come and get him!"

Kyuubi growled fiercely, already in hot pursuit of Minato's captor.

_:: It's not every day a human kit tends to a wild animal. ::_ Kyuubi thought as he darted above, around, and under the many twists of tree roots and limbs in his path.

The fact that Minato had also rescued his niece only increased his desire to retrieve the blond,

_:: Not that I would let ANY creature fall victim to this scum. ::_ he concluded, raising his chakra level.

The humanoid's long red hair whipped around him wildly as he flew across the forest opposite the coyote, slowly edging closer to his prey.

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"Let. Me. GO!" the blonde cried, thrashing wildly against the muscular arms of the youkai; being carried like a sack of potatoes wasn't exactly on his wish list.

"Can it brat, I never pass up on a dinner opportunity." Taki growled, digging his claws deeper into the human's skin, drawing blood.

Minato hissed in pain and bit his tongue; as he did so, a plan of escape came to him. Without hesitation, the Namikaze opened his mouth as wide as he could, and bit down on the rough, dirty skin of the hand grasping his waist with all his might.

Taki let out a yelp of pain, halting to a stop on a tree branch, swinging his arm; Minato was sent flying.

They had to be about fifteen feet or more above the ground, and the human child was too weak to make a decent landing. The ground came in ever clearer to him, as he fell headfirst towards the earth, eyes shut tight in desperation. Below him, a queue of coyotes was glaring at him with obvious hunger.

_:: Think Minato, think::_ he urged himself.

Loud squeals cut through his line of thinking, becoming ever clearer to him as his plummet toward the ground neared to the end.

Trying to calm himself, Minato braced himself for the impact that was sure to come.

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Kyuubi kept up a steady rhythm through the foliage, dashing at a hard pace towards the kidnapped human kit.

As protectorate of the forest of Konohagakure, it was Kyuubi's responsibility to see to the welfare of all who dwelled in his territory, whether they be a student or even the Hokage himself. The fact that it was a child that was kidnapped by the ruthless coyote tribe was what made this all the more dire; Taki alone had the power of several ANBU ops members, and if he made it to his clans territory, that power would be backed by over fifty other youkai; a position that he REALLY didn't want to be in.

A scream, followed shortly by a deep yell, alerted him to the scenario ahead. Quickening his pace, fierce red eyes scanned the oncoming horizon for the cause of the disturbance, preparing for the worst.

Upon his arrival at the scene, a blurry yellow and black object was falling like a stone towards a pack of coyotes; Taki was feet above the figure, grasping his left arm tightly and watching the blond thing with great amusement.

_:: Damn… :: _

Summoning a level of strength he didn't know he possessed, Kyuubi rushed for the site Minato would hit, a fiery chakra glowing around his body.

_:: Hold on, Little One…::_

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Instead of being torn to bits as he had expected to be, Minato was pleasantly surprised when he instead fell into strong arms, wrapping themselves protectively around his form.

He felt content with the new warmth surrounding him, putting him at ease from all of his previous worries.

His eyes fluttered open and closed a few moments before finally concealing bright sapphire orbs.

"K-Kyuubi-kun…"

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_:: Where the hell am I..::_ was the first thing Minato thought when he woke up, seemingly hours later. He immediately tried to sit up, hissing as he did so; his upper arms, where Taki's claws had cut into him, were now bandaged.

It took him a few more tries, but he was soon moving about, inspecting his new surroundings.

It was safe to say that he was no longer in the forest; instead of tall, lush trees, there was cool grey stone, forming a sort of den in a mountainside. Beneath him, there were several warm, thick animal furs, forming a sort of pallet. The entrance of the cave revealed nothing, except an inky, star-dotted sky; it was a slap in the face for him.

_:: It's already nighttime; I have to get home..::_

A recognizable figure, a light brown fox, loped in from the cavern's opening, flanked by two larger greys.

"Kaiya-san!" the human greeted cheerfully, allowing his kitsune friend to bound up and nuzzle him; the Namikaze returned the favor with a few pats.

The two grey males cast Minato curious looks and, with a little encouragement from the latter, they had approached him and were sniffing his hair in interest.

All three froze however at the arrival of a new figure; hastily, they dropped to the ground in submission.

Before them stood Kyuubi, hands wrapped loosely across his sculpted chest, and an indescribable expression on his face; one fuzzy red ear was tipped skyward, while the other lay close to the side of his head.

"Kyuubi-kun…" Minato breathed, his body growing still; the attractive youkai's mere presence seemed to command total respect from all those around him, human or not.

"So, you're finally awake."

His steps were slow and fluid, coming ever closer to the child. He slid into a cross-legged position on the pallet of animal skins, casually waving his subordinates away; they complied.

"How long have I been out?" the blond asked, there wasn't a shred of fear in his voice.

"Only an hour; it was mainly exhaustion, seemingly prior to that little 'incident' in the forest." Kyuubi drawled, supporting himself by leaning back on his hands.

He did the calculations quickly in his head; by now, it had to be around 7:00 pm. Not only was he too late to prepare dinner, but at this rate, it would be nine before he could get home. If he left now.

"Kyuubi-kun, thank you for rescuing me, and tending to my arms, but…"

As if anticipating this, the youkai cut him off, "You're not going home, you're too worn out."

Minato gaped, then attempted to get to his feet, "I can't stay, I have school tomorrow-"

With hardly any effort at all, Kyuubi had picked him up by the scruff of his shirt, dangling the small form before his glowing eyes, "And I'm telling you you're not, foolish kit. Rest, regain your strength. I'll see that you're not bothered."

That said, the red-head plopped the human down upon the furs; then slowly brought himself to his feet.

As Minato nestled in the pallet, his blue eyes followed the smooth tailed form of the forest guardian as the being made his way towards the cave den entrance, leaning against the hard stone casually. The warmth surrounding the eight year old was full of a familiar chakra, and it took only a moment for him to recognize it; the red energy was wild and inhuman, yet comforting and protective.

_:: Kyuubi-kun; he's letting me sleep on his bed::_

The human wiggled further into the soft plushy blankets, slowly breathing in the scent of fox before sliding into a deep, undisturbed sleep.

From his post by the entryway, Kyuubi cast a protective eye over his subordinates as they burrowed into their dens, preparing for their rest; he also kept a close eye on the small fragile human child curled up in his furs.

He had to admit, Namikaze Minato was a cute boy with much spirit; his kind heart was also something to be noted. Even though he WAS human; however….

Kyuubi spent the next two hours of his watch dissecting his confusing maelstrom of emotions for the blond, nodding to the pair of kitsune who emerged to take their posts for the night.

Upon re-emerging into his place of rest, the youkai took a last glance at his slumbering guest, fighting off the urge to grin at the sight presented before him.

Minato apparently moved in his sleep, for he had managed to push away all of the furs covering his small form, leaving him vulnerable to the cool night air.

Smirking slightly, the elder of the two grabbed a spare blanket, piling it on top of the smaller male with the others. As a final means of warmth, he himself transformed into his fox form; laying down beside the child, wrapping a few of his many tails around Minato.

_:: There's something special about this kit; Something I can't quite explain… He's a human, yet I don't want to push him away… ::_

With this last thought, the strong, proud youkai guardian rested his head upon his paws, waiting for the darkness of sleep to claim him.

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KyuuAraKyuuAraKyuuAra

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-peeks through fingers- Was it decent? I assure you, we'll start calling him Arashi soon enough!

This fic will try to stick to some happenings in the manga, but some of my own twists will be added here and there.

Kyuubi: God… just let it end…! TAT

YaoiShadow: (Shut it!) Read and review, kudasai! XD

Top of Form

Top of Form


	2. What is this feeling?

YaoiShadow: Holy smut; I'm sorry for taking so long to update!

I've really got to thank you all for the positive, well-thought out reviews! They weren't just simple 'Update!'s, and they really encouraged me through writing this; you guys are awesome.

Anyone read the newest chapters? (Nyaa! XD) Yup, it'll come into play later. ;) (especially 382)

Minato: (Disclaimer) YaoiShadow doesn't own 'Naruto'; I do! (he's my son after all) X3

YaoiShadow: Well said! (And you're a lot nicer than Kyuubi!)

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_Last Chapter:_

_//:: There's something special about this kit; Something I can't quite explain… He's a human, yet I don't want to push him away… ::_

_With this last thought, the strong, proud youkai guardian rested his head upon his paws, waiting for the darkness of sleep to claim him.//_

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The faint twittering of birds in the distance awoke Minato from his sleep. Cracking one brilliant blue eye open, he did a quick scan of his surroundings.

_:: Cave; check. Fur pallet; check. Kyuubi-kun; che- ::_ Hold the phone; when did _that_ happen?

Trying to sit up was no longer an option for Minato, for he was being held in place by a large mound of red fox, who began to growl when the human tried to get up. A thin, whiskered face turned to glare at him groggily, but the creature eventually slid off of the boy's torso, where he had stretched himself across during the night in order to keep the kit warm.

As if he understood the youkai's actions, Minato smiled gently, "Thanks for worrying about me Kyuubi-kun."

With an unmistakable huff, said demon looked away in what might have been a blush, and trotted off for the cave entrance.

Slowly, the human wobbled, but was able to follow.

Not much could be seen at night but, in the daylight hours, the haven Kyuubi called home was quite beautiful. It was a small clearing, surrounded on three fourths of the sides by thick clumps of trees; the mountain on which he stood covered the last section of the territory. A small brook bubbled pleasantly off to one side, where several small foxes were happily playing, splashing each other as they bounded through the un-muddied water.

Some of the more elderly kitsune were stretching out their wizened bodies, yawning and cleaning themselves as they trudged up out of their fox holes.

One familiar female zipped quickly up the boulders before the entryway of the cave entrance, three others in pursuit.

"Good morning, Kaiya-san!" Minato greeted cheerfully, giggling as the vixen pounced on the bleary child and licked his face.

The other she-foxes, a gray, a rusty red and a sleek black, all nosed his hand as he used the other to go back and forth between the four, trying to pet all of them at once.

Kyuubi lazily flicked a tail; his keen golden eyes set upon his small village as if trying very hard to avoid watching the females bombard the human kit; it was _disgusting_! The way they all threw themselves at the human, using their animal cuteness to get attention. And of course Minato, in true human child fashion, gave them all the love and affection they desired, as if they were house pets!

At this, the ladies stopped their inspection; all crouching low to the ground, their tails between their legs in submission to the male.

With the swiftness of an exhausted snail, the large ember-colored being's form melted into that of the equally intimidating humanoid, who waved a hand idly to the side. It was a dismissal, and the females took it as such.

Taking special care with this more threatening form, Minato slowly bowed his head to the forest guardian, trying to stay focused on keeping himself alive to see another morning.

"Thanks again, for taking such good care of me; but I really need to return home, as soon as possible. So, I guess I'll leave then-"

A strong, clawed hand whipped out in front of him, preventing him from proceeding any further.

"That's the problem with you humans; always feeling as though you must rush. That human training group has already begun, and you still need to eat. Those females that seem to take such a great liking to you would never give me peace if I sent you on your way as you were."

Minato couldn't help but laugh at the demon's wording; it seemed to him that the older male was just making up excuses to get him to stay, for he honestly doubted that the powerful guardian would really care if a few vixens were upset with him.

Grumbling to himself about stupid human brats, Kyuubi motioned for the blond to follow him as he ventured outside.

The Namikaze child kept his silence as they proceeded throughout the small fox 'village'. As Kyuubi paused here and there to administer instructions to his subordinates, Minato seized the chance to get a better look at his surroundings.

There had to have been around two dozen or so foxes, all ranging in color from a light misty grey to the deepest of black.

There was a light greenish glow around the perimeter of the clearing, as pure morning sunlight filtered through the many leaves of Konoha's forests.

Small mutterings brought him back to the matter at hand and, with a few last words, the guardian motioned for the boy to follow him, heading towards the river bed. The kits playing there quickly fled to another place to frolic as soon as they spotted their leader's shadow.

Upon reaching his destination, Kyuubi began to slide out of his jacket, stepping out of his pants after he had done so. Blushing madly, Minato couldn't seem to take his eyes off the youko; it was as if he were looking at a _god_.

_:: Must… look… away::_ mustering all of his strength, the child forced his head to turn in the opposite direction, trying to recover from the site he had beheld.

The little blond lurched forward when a clawed hand began tugging at his own clothing.

"K-Kyuubi-kun!"

Sensing the boy's sudden flare of unease, the youko ceased his actions, but crossed his arms over his well-muscled chest.

"Hmph, foolish kit." The red-head scoffed, "How else will you bathe? Humans…" even though his head was turned, Minato could easily imagine Kyuubi rolling his golden eyes.

"Bathe…?" Now it made sense.

Still a little hesitant, the Namikaze slipped off his own garments, carefully stepping into the cool waters of the stream. The water was a little under waist-high for him.

Kyuubi acted as if this were not unusual in the slightest (then again, this was probably his only means of bathing), and continued to scrub his body, using a smooth wet stone and a pot of what appeared to be crushed herbs (where had _that_ come from?).

Suddenly, the demon stopped, casting a glance at the boy. Without warning, Minato was trapped in a pair of strong bare arms, calmly rubbing the soft human skin with the stone.

"Kyuubi-kun!" the eight-year old squealed, trying to worm his way out of the embrace.

The red-head cast a look of indifference upon the other, continuing his task.

"If you're not capable of doing this yourself…"

The Namikaze flushed, "I-I was just getting to it!"

Huffily, he snatched the rock and began to cleanse himself, trying to maintain as much dignity as he possibly could.

Kyuubi smirked, pulling back from the child; it was pretty amusing to see the kit all flustered….. Not that he thought the human was cute or anything, because that would be foolish! Wouldn't it?

He shook his magnificent head, clearing his thoughts and then steeped out of the stream, wringing his damp hair out.

"There will be clothes for you when you are done." The youko muttered, strolling towards his cave, naked as the day he was born.

Minato just hoped that there would be the same for the kyuubi.

--------------------------------------------------------------

---------------------------------------------------------------

The cave was Kyuubi-free when he returned, wrapped in a fur brought to him by Kaiya. However, there were two male foxes, a bluish-grey and a black and grey, sitting patiently off to the side, a long brown cloak pooled at their feet.

Minato bowed to the stony figures gratefully, taking the offered cloth when it was presented to him, via fox mouth.

He dressed silently, managing to only come up with a dress-like style with the cloak he provided with; well, he wasn't complaining, at least he was clean, comfortable and alive.

Though, he was hungry…..

The two foxes before him stared in contained interest, their eyes boring into his own.

"Ahh, ummm….. " Nervously, the blond scratched the back of his head, unused to all the attention that had been thrust upon him since he had arrived at the small village.

Their brilliant golden orbs were full of interest and delight at the new-comer, and gave off the air that they could stare at the human for hours on end. And that scared the hell out of him.

Then, a rich baritone cut across the silence like a knife; smooth, husky and calm.

"Aoshi, Toushirou; stand down."

Two pairs of fuzzy ears perked up, responding to the Forest Guardian; they slithered and stood on either side of Minato, as if presenting him to their master.

Once again, the Namikaze underwent a visual inspection, fidgeting slightly under the molten red-gold gaze.

Slowly, Kyuubi nodded his head, "It'll have to do. Now, about food….."

It was then that the human kit noticed a bloody lump of meat (deer? rabbit? He couldn't exactly tell….) in the clawed grip. Immediately, Minato's stomach growled; sure, it didn't look very edible now, but with a fire, maybe a few spices…..

"- I don't think humans eat raw meat, what with your pathetic little immune systems and all, so you'll have to make due with what little I could scrounge from the others."

With a wet flop, the unidentified meat fell to a large flat stone.

There was a thick silence, one filled with anticipation and patience; three pairs of eyes darted from the blue-eyed child to the meat, as if waiting for something.

"Umm," he managed to say a bit weakly, "I don't know Katon……"

Sighing in a manner that hinted that the youko had expected this, Kyuubi knelt to the slab, performing a small series of hand signs, producing a small fire around the stone.

_:: What was that about? That was a kata, but I've never seen those signs…… :: _

Sapphire eyes gazed at the mystifying red-head before him, who was now quietly poking the human's cooking meal with a stick, deep in focus; behind him, Toushirou and Aoshi were loping off to dig in to their own breakfast.

The Kyuubi no Youko was quite an impressive being, having shown a harsh, domineering personality and a fierce protective streak, yet he could be gentle and kind when need be. It was baffling for Minato, who had at first been snarled at, accused of hurting one of the foxes kin, then moments later being rescued by his prosecutor.

The Namikaze boy agreed with himself on the matter that Kyuubi was a very complex being, and that he was obviously very powerful and a respectable leader; not to mention that he was very good looking... and he had, perhaps deeper down than some, a good heart.

"Kyuubi-kun, why did you go through all this trouble? Doesn't your clan need the food? Not that I'm ungrateful or anything….." And why was he blushing like one of the girls in his class?

Kyuubi took an experimental bite of the mystery meat, replying in monotone, "I can't send you back on an empty stomach, that's not how we treat kits. Besides, it's not like we're going to starve or anything…."

Apparently deeming the food worthy of human consumption, the humanoid pushed the slab over to Minato, settling into the cold stone.

Appreciatively, the blond raised the hot meal to his lips, taking a small wary bite. He chewed slowly, processing the flavor of what seemed to be – was it rabbit? - on his tongue; though the thought of eating such a small cuddly creature was appalling to him, he was in no position to complain.

"I really should thank you; you've all been so nice to me…"

At this, Kyuubi looked up, caught off-guard at the serene smile lighting up the human's face as he continued to eat, looking all the part of a petite angel.

It had never occurred to him, until now, how mature the child was for his age. At eight-years old, he had been able to tend to a wounded wild-animal, and he apparently lived alone. The human had also escaped from a nearly full-grown demon, who had all the intentions of eating him, as well as handling himself in a testy situation.

_:: Quite the little man, isn't he::_ the demon lord chuckled to himself.

"Hm?" Minato had looked up due to the (gasp!) laughter that had erupted from the intimidating being before him.

_:: Umm…. What:: _He had the sudden feeling that he was missing out on something…

"Eat up kit." The youko ordered, getting to his feet and stretching, "Once you're done, I'll take you to your human village."

At this, Minato looked up; he hadn't really thought of going home since earlier this morning.

"I-….." sky blue eyes looked up at the older man, feeling a rush of emotion, "I would like that."

Kyuubi smiled encouragingly, "Then hurry up, Little One."

With a burst of joy, the young human swiftly downed his simple meal, ready to return home. Spending the short time with Kyuubi had ignited a fire within him, a burning desire to become strong to protect the ones he loved.

:: He's like the Hokage; he'll do anything for his village and the people in it. :: this thought greatly cheered the boy, as he made his way to the mouth of the den, gazing at the small serene little village for what was to be the last time.

--------------------------------------

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"All set?" Kyuubi asked, molten ruby and gold eyes looking down at the cute human beside him.

Minato's reaction was slightly delayed, but he nodded. This caught the Guardian's attention.

Before he knew it, he was kneeling on the leaf-dusted dirt, clawed hands placed firmly on the small shoulders.

"Whenever you wander into the forest, I'll be here to protect you; you're always welcome."

The Namikaze's face brightened immediately, "You mean it?!"

Kyuubi flushed and quickly looked away, dropping his voice to achieve a more serious tone, "For saving Kaiya, I mean. You've proved you're trustworthy with my clan, so…"

"Thank you, Kyuubi-kun…" Minato whispered, wrapping his small arms around the muscular tan shoulders.

The youkai's eyes widened, and then closed as he smiled serenely; glad that the human couldn't see it.

When the blond pulled away, his eyes snapped open, and the smile melted off his face, replaced with one of stony indifference.

"You should go." He grunted, fighting to keep the blush off his cheeks.

"I will. Thank you again for taking good care of me." Like the older male, the child fought back his own display of emotion, in his case, tears.

He wasn't prone to crying, once again, he felt as though the girls in his class had rubbed off on him, but he felt really attached, _loved_ even, with the Forest Guardian; even though he had just met him yesterday.

"Go." The being of nine-tails gave the young human a gentle nudge towards the village gates, not abandoning his position until the child had safely passed the gates of Konohagakure.

"Goodbye, Minato."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

-I-was-gonna-leave-it-there-(it-would've-been-a-great-chapter-ending!),-but…..-

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The villagers, surprisingly enough, were overjoyed to find that Minato had returned to the village safely; apparently, they were under the impression that he had been lost.

He couldn't withstand this blow to his pride, so countered the rumors, saying that he had just got caught up in exploring the forest…. And they bought it.

Catching up in school was a breeze, though it took some effort.

But there was an obvious change in the blond's behavior. For one, he was putting a hundred percent into his schoolwork (it scared the hell out of his teachers), even the written part.

He had also taken to keeping many plants in his apartment, varying from flowers to vegetables and even trees.

But the most noticeable difference was how silent the usually bubbly child had become. Now, he usually kept to himself, and often stared out the classroom window at the distant forest surrounding the village.

Many of the teachers had some of their students keep tabs on the boy after school hours, but there was nothing outstanding; all he did was sit on his rooftop and stare out into the distance.

It was difficult for Minato to keep the red fox demon out of his mind. Even when he was sound asleep, the youko haunted his thoughts.

There was no other way to put it; he was infatuated with the man.

_:: Kyuubi-kun…. I want to see you. :: _

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Back in the fox village, Kyuubi was atop his mountain, sitting cross-legged and gazing at the blot in the distance that was Konoha.

To reasons unknown to him, or perhaps he was too unwilling, he had a deep yearning in his heart. The bright image of Minato's smiling face clouded his vision, the sun-kissed spiky blond hair and the sparkling eyes making the ache even more noticeable.

_:: What is this feeling? What is it about him that makes me so desperate to see him, a mere human kit::_

But there was no answer, only the gentle caress of the wind upon his skin.

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YaoiShadow: I hope this chapter was at least as good as the last! It's about as long… (But does that really matter? XP)

Review, kudasai!


	3. Wanted

YaoiShadow: Sorry for the long wait, minna-san! Stuffs happen, though. U

I really wanted to do a special birthday chapter on Minato's birthday, but I wasn't where I wanted to be in the story, and schoolwork bit me in the ass; thanks for waiting, and all the great reviews, nonetheless!

However… I will say that little comments like Hoyt-san's will be thoroughly ignored, unless it is well thought out and points out actual errors in the story; that is what I think constructive criticism truly is and I openly accept it.

To answer Hacker-san's question: In chapter 367 of the manga, it is revealed that 'Arashi's (Yondaime-Fourth Hokage-) true name is Namikaze Minato, as well as the fact that he's Naruto's father. Most people called him Arashi before this chapter's release, so some feel more comfortable calling him 'Arashi'.

Kyuubi: (Disclaimer) YaoiShadow is far too stupid to own 'Naruto'; though she does have the intelligence to know the names of the characters (-cough, cough-) I think…. U

Yaoi: T-T

--

Last Chapter:

_/To reasons unknown to him, or perhaps he was too unwilling, he had a deep yearning in his heart. The bright image of Minato's smiling face clouded his vision, the sun-kissed spiky blond hair and the sparkling eyes making the ache even more noticeable._

_: What is this feeling? What is it about him that makes me so desperate to see him, a mere human kit? :_

_But there was no answer, only the gentle caress of the wind upon his skin./_

_--_

--

The morning was bright and warm with a slight cool breeze wafting through the trees, accented by soft baby blue sky. The tiny buds of hiding flowers opened, revealing the peeking faces of delicate blooms, ranging in colors from the deepest blue, to the brightest butter yellow. Small droplets of dew clung to lush blades of grass, turning what would have been an average sunrise into a sparkling, breathtaking experience.

There were few things lovelier than Konohagakure in spring.

This was the scene Minato was greeted with, one school day, as he began the familiar trek from his apartment to the academy, weighted down by a small cluster of written work and a few necessary books.

"Good morning, Minato-kun!" one of his female classmates greeted; an attempt to get him to speak, he was sure.

He had tried to be himself, but failed miserably; though he had the determination to become a great shinobi and gain respect in Kyuubi-kun's eyes, it defeated the purpose if he might never see the forest guardian again. It had been a few weeks as it was.

Inwardly, the blond heaved a great sigh, before flashing a bright smile to the girl, completely fooling her into believing all was well with him, "Good morning, Akesato-san. Did you do last night's homework?"

It was all merely small talk, a means of distraction from his actual dreary mood; yet, the diminutive brunette happily chattered away, a noise the Namikaze hardly took note of.

The same could be said for the rest of his classmates, who all acted insufferably cheery throughout the day; was his mood really that obvious? Minato thought he was a good actor!

At least his teaches could be counted on, for if they noticed his depression, they didn't show it; he still had a mountain of homework that night.

_: And I have to do it!! :_ Minato thought encouragingly, _: I promised myself that I would become worthy in Kyuubi-kun's eyes someday! :_

What homework had to do with it, he wasn't sure.

And, true to his nature, the blond soon grew bored with the lesson (was it on the history of kunai?) and began to space off into a daydream; one involving he himself fighting off a pack of demons single-handedly from breaching Konoha.

_/ He was a blur to his wounded comrades, who watched in awe from their defensive positions on the ground._

_He appeared as a strand of lightening, striking his foes down with a single blow, a warm breeze sweeping the ties of his hitai-ate and spikes of blond hair about his head._

_And, once all his enemies had been defeated, Sandaime approached, his dark eyes sparkling._

"_Aa, Minato; you've grown so much since you were a child, almost as strong as myself!"_

_Both men exchanged amused looks, before Sarutobi continued._

"_I've been thinking about retiring early; you know, see the sights; not having to worry about being assassinated." He chuckled, "And I've been considering my successors; Minato, you are the most qualified."_

_He grinned, but remained polite, "Surely there is someone else…?"_

_Sandaime shook his head, "No, no; I'd rather have _you _as Yondaime. Well, now that that's settled-"_

_To Minato's surprise, the older man whipped the hat off of his head, tearing the customary Hokage robes from his body and threw them at Minato._

_Once he had removed the bunch of clothes from atop his head, the Namikaze blinked in disbelief as Sarutobi stood before him, in Bermuda shorts, bright pink Hawaiian shirt, and a pair of sunglasses._

"_- I'm off to work on my tan! Toodles!"_

_In a swirl of smoke, the former village leader had vanished; and, most mysteriously, so had his injured comrades. The scenery had also changed; no longer was he standing before the gates of Konohagakure, instead, he was atop a cliff, overlooking a vast, lush forest._

_Suddenly, a pair of strong arms wrapped around his waist, drawing him against a firm body._

"_Minato…" a husky voice whispered in his ear, enveloping the appendage in heavy, warm breath._

_Most un-Hokage-like, Minato 'eeped', twisting in the stranger's grasp._

_However, the identity of the person made his eyes sparkle in happiness._

"_Kyuubi-kun!"_

_The youko smirked - most sensually, Minato thought - running a clawed hand through soft blond locks. _

"_The forest is safe now Minato, thanks to you."_

_Minato blushed slightly, bowing his head in embarrassment._

_Kyuubi gently placed a hand on the blond's waist, slipping the other behind his head, forcing the human to look up at him._

"_Minato…"_

_Slowly, the two drew closer, their eyes clouded with affection._

_Minato rose on his toes; their lips were mere centimeters away._

"_Kyuubi-kun…"_

_Their breathes began to mingle, as their lips softly began to touch-_

"-to! Minato!"

At that moment, Minato's head slipped off of the hand that was supporting it, letting his face to hit the hard, wooden table with a loud 'thunk'.

"Ow! Aa, what? Whaddid I miss? Is it time to leave?"

Beside him, Kuoryuu snickered, motioning to the front of their shared table. There stood Nanao-sensei, arms crossed and foot tapping impatiently.

"Mi. Na. Tooo!"

The Namikaze's bright blue eyes widened in horror as his teacher descended upon him.

--

--

"Umm, Minato-kun? Are you alright?"

"Yuh, are you gonna make it home, Namikaze?"

Groggily, Minato stared up at the blue sky, and the blurred images that were his classmates' faces.

"Uhh… Kouryuu, why didn't you wake me up?"

The figure to the left of him grinned; that much he could tell, as his vision was starting to clear.

"It looked like you were having a nice dream; you were smiling, and I could've sworn you were gonna kiss your book."

Minato flushed angrily and got to his feet; by the looks of it, school was over.

_: Augh, what happened to me, anyway…? :_

All he could remember was saving the village from evil demons, seeing Sandaime in pink (o.k, maybe it wouldn't be so bad to forget that part), being made Hokage, and…..

His face turned beet red; it seems the female half of the class really _had_ rubbed off on him.

Saya and Kouryuu leaned in closer to him, interested in the redness staining the blond's cheeks.

"So," Saya continued, "You'll be fine, won't you?"

Minato nodded, rubbing the back of his head roughly; once he got home, he'd eat a cup of instant ramen and take a nice, long nap. He'd learned a lesson today: daydreams were dangerous… but not as much as teachers.

Hesitantly, the siblings before him headed toward the opposite path (they lived at the other end of town), waving to him as they left.

Minato was touched, truly, but he could handle himself; why, he folded his own laundry! Heh, top _that_!

Feeling slightly better, the awakened blond took off towards his apartment.

--

--

_: This… isn't working… :_ Kyuubi grumbled to himself.

For nearly a week, the youko had done everything he could think of in order to drive the thought of a certain blond human child out of his head: he'd cleaned his cave twice, inspected every inch of his territory three times every day, filed his finger nails (don't ask), and so much more… And it still didn't work; every night, he was haunted be the memory of the sweet, cheery little human child he had met only weeks before.

And he didn't know why.

Suddenly, a firm, fuzzy object nudged his elbow. Thrown out of his reverie, the red-headed youkai looked straight down to see his niece, sitting on her haunches and staring at him owlishly.

A few moments after his silence, she bumped against him again, encouraging him to continue his healing of a lightning struck maple tree.

"Kaiya," he began, "What should I do? I can't get that pathetic human brat out of my mind."

As he conversed with the female, his strong hands ghosted over the charred bark of the plant life, issuing a steady stream of red chakra as he did.

The vixen whined and plopped the entire length of her body upon the ground, crossing her paws and resting her head on them; deep golden eyes sparkling far too innocently up at him. Kyuubi had asked her this many times before, and, every time, she gave the same reply.

A vein at Kyuubi's temple throbbed angrily, conveying the guardian's disgust at his kin's utter uselessness.

"Why must you always look at me that way? Surely you cannot be suggesting that I stroll right in to that damned human village, risking my life, just to see a worthless child?"

He stood before her, his breathing harsh and his ears laid straight back as he growled.

To most creatures, this would be pretty impressive, and would frighten away any sensible person; but Kaiya was use to this (combined with her natural stubbornness as a woman) and had grown accustomed to this reaction every time her uncle even thought about Minato-chan. Which was pretty often (and somewhat amusing).

Ever slowly, Kyuubi's steely exterior began to crumble, and his once fierce expression had melted into one of uncertainty.

With weary golden eyes, Kyuubi turned once more to the female.

"Do you… think I should?"

Kaiya yipped once, bounding into the air; it was obvious how she felt.

"Hmph, fool." Though his words were harsh, there was a smirk playing at his lips.

He was a nine-tailed youko; surely infiltrating a human village for a day wouldn't be very hard. He _could_ shadow Minato for a while, just to check up on him and see if he was doing well, and then return home… But no, he had far too much to do today.

As if she could sense where his thoughts were straying, Kaiya growled, bared her tiny fangs, and bit her uncle harshly on the hand.

The wound was nothing to him, he was accustomed to far worse, but it was still quite shocking when his usually docile niece actually _bit_ him; he, the lord of the forest.

"Kaiya." He said sharply, glaring at her fiercely.

The young vixen didn't release her hold on him, however; in fact, she tugged a little on the flesh in her mouth.

By now, a small trickle of blood began to stream from the bite, running down his long, nimble fingers; it was apparent that she wasn't going to let up.

Under normal circumstances, Kyuubi would remain firm in his decision to remain in the forest; but, due to Kaiya's annoying persistence (and, _perhaps_, the throb deep within his heart that he got whenever he thought of Minato), he decided to reconsider.

But only this once.

He huffed, trying to jerk his hand out of the kitsune's mouth, "Fine, you win… for now. But this is the only time I'll relent to you."

Releasing her hold on the male, Kaiya sniffed, obviously pleased with her work, and stalked off in an air of smugness, twitching her tail as she went.

The guardian massaged his now-red hand, and glanced down the path Kaiya had taken.

He snorted, "Damned female."

But, despite the blow to his masculine pride, he was rather satisfied with his final decision.

Needless to say, it would be quite the learning experience.

--

--

He struck at midday, at the changing of the gate guards.

After performing a few quick katas, he appeared to be an ordinary redheaded citizen; dressed in loose-fitting black pants, form fitting fishnet shirt with a long, sleeveless vest, and a Konoha hitai-ate tied at his upper arm.

He had managed to make his hair appear slightly shorter and managable, his nails at a normal, human-male length, and to make his tails and fox ears disappear, but the jagged, red, whisker-like tattoos on his face remained.

Oh well, it was better than nothing; the only one who would recognize him would be Minato. And, if he had his way, the human child wouldn't even know he was there.

Pleased with his disguise, the youko proceeded his journey into the human village, unaware of the adventure that awaited him.

--

--

Only a small group of women spotted him, as he began to jump to the rooftops in order to prevent a confrontation, but that was bad enough; apparently, the queue of ladies found him attractive, as they flushed and giggled, batting their eyelashes at him in a most unappealing way.

_: No, I won't fall for mere human females, :_ Kyuubi grumbled to himself, beginning to feel very foolish as he pelted across the shingles of the rooftops, _:Because _I'm_ the one risking his neck just to see a human_ kit_…! :_

But it soon became extremely difficult to ignore his admirers, as they began to stalk him, following his steps on the streets.

Slowly, he picked up the pace, until he was merely a red blur atop the shingles of brown; below him, he was shadowed by a mass of colors, from pink to yellow and blue.

_: Damn you, kunoichi! :_ he grumbled in exasperation; really, he should have chosen a less conspicuous disguise.

--

Meanwhile, on his way home, Minato decided to stop by the grocery store and pick up a few things for dinner (he was thinking noodles).

As he perused through the rows upon rows of vegetables, he missed the flash of crimson from behind him, though his fellow shoppers gaped and pointed, then hurried out of the way as a stampede of women charged passed.

"Um, excuse me, Ojii-san? How much is this daikon?"

To his concern, the clerk was staring behind him open-mouthed and glossy-eyed.

Carefully, the blond peered over his own shoulder, but saw nothing.

_: What in the world? : _

He shrugged, then continued his browsing.

--

In the end, Kyuubi decided to revert to a smaller version of his fox form to hide himself from the masses.

_: Hmm, I'd like to see them trail me now…! : _he thought smugly, while he padded down an alleyway, searching for Minato's light scent.

Just when he thought he had it, his ears picked up a high-pitched squeal from the end of the shadowed tunnel of buildings.

_: It can't be…! :_

Horror-struck, his narrowed golden orbs scanned the area, to meet a teenaged girl, a Genin by the looks of it; behind her stood a gang of her peers, their eyes all bright and glossy.

"KAWAII!"

_: Shit…! : _

And, once again, he streaked off, dodging random villagers as he went.

_: This was one of the most_ foolish _notions…! :_

But he had no more time to contemplate things; the evil ones were gaining on him.

--

--

It was sunset by the time Minato reached his street, after his shopping trip.

To the Namikaze child, this was one of the greatest parts of the day; the setting sun reminded him a lot of Kyuubi-kun, with the melding of reds, oranges and yellows, into a seamless form, appearing a bright glowing red, like the youko's hair and fur. And, also like Kyuubi, it brought Minato peace and reassurance; like everything will turn out for the better.

_: I really need to get a hobby! : _Minato chuckled, already fishing in his pockets for his house key.

He prepared to jump up to his floor (taking the stairs was too boring!), when something caught his eye; a furry mass in the dirt street, it's dark silhouette stretched in front of it from the smoldering sun.

Without a second thought, he turned his leap into a slight hop, toward the fallen mammal, closing the remaining distance with a few strides.

"Poor thing," he cooed, carefully picking up the limp form, cradling the creature to his chest protectively.

It was a fox.

Minato grinned, _: But of course. :_

The minute animal was severely ruffled and dust-covered, leaving only small patches of the actual reddish color to be seen in the waning light.

It looked like it had been through hell.

"Hey! There he is!"

Startled, both Minato and the kitsune turned to see a small queue of girls, who were staring avidly at the fox. The exhausted creature tried to run away, but could only manage a few half-hearted twitches.

Minato glanced down into the pleading golden eyes and smiled, returning his gaze to the approaching females.

"Aa, thank you _so_ much for finding him! I've been looking all day! Right, Miso-chan?"

The fox glared at him, _:_ Miso-chan_?!_ _:_

The girls looked at him doubtfully, sizing him up; he was puny, obviously an academy student, but he was so _cute_…!

The leader of the group, a slender, severe-looking brunette with long hair paused, deep in thought.

"I suppose you're telling the truth…" she muttered, gazing at him critically; the fox seemed to be quite at home in the kids arms, as if they've known each other for quite some time.

The Genin motioned to the others, and they all turned on their heels, giving one last, long stare at the smiling blond, who was happily rubbing the fox's soft, fuzzy stomach.

Like a swarm, they set off into the sunset, reminding Minato vaguely of an old western movie.

_: Or something… :_

After a small yip from his new-rescued friend, he tore himself from his thoughts, and got to his feet, cradling the animal.

"C'mon, I can feed you at least."

The fox wiggled a tail slightly in response.

--

The inside of Minato's apartment wasn't anything spectacular, as could be expected from a solitary academy student; but it was… welcoming.

It was small in size, with only one other room separated by a door -the bathroom-. Along with a tiny, low bed with red and white comforter -the pattern was in the form of the kanji for 'fire'-, there was a medium-sized kitchen table, and a wooden bookshelf, crammed with dozens of scrolls from simple jutsu's, to maps, scrolls on plants, and also kitsune. To fill the void of the nearly empty dwelling, there were numerous potted plants, filling the air with the aroma of living things and greenery.

On the practically bare countertop, there was a small rice cooker and coffee pot, as well as a cluster of instant cup ramen.

"Here you are, then!" the cheery blond sang, gently setting the fuzzy animal onto his pillow.

The ruffled fox stared at him curiously as he bustled around the kitchen, putting away groceries and starting what appeared to be dinner.

"So, Kyuubi-kun, what brings _you_ here?"

The fox sputtered, becoming engulfed in white fog, soon revealing the lean, impressive form of the forest guardian, who immediately began to comb through his messy hair with his fingers.

"I'll give you credit, kit; you can pay attention when you want to."

Minato grinned toothily and moved to sit on the edge of his bed, which, he noted, was hardly big enough to occupy the tall figure of Kyuubi.

"But really, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be taking care of….?"

The powerful youkai stretched, the light greatly accenting his well-toned muscles; leisurely, he fell against the pillows, Minato resting against him thoughtlessly.

Kyuubi took it his stride, and stroked the fine, spiky hair of the child calmly.

"Kaiya insisted. And I must say I now understand why none of my ancestors attempted to journey into human villages; you mortals are ridiculous. Especially the females." His shudder almost went unnoticed.

_: The squealing…! That infernal squealing…! :_

He'd be lucky to regain his proper hearing in a week.

Minato giggled and curled up to the larger male, "Sorry, I tried my best!"

Kyuubi snorted, but gazed at the top of the blond head in slight interest.

"By the way, how did you know it was me…?" It felt like a foolish question to ask, but what the hell.

Minato looked up at him, sparkling blue eyes connecting with those of gold, "It was simple, really! There aren't many foxes with the same coloring as you, and you both have the same scowl; you know, like you're mad at the world."

Temporarily caught off guard, the older one looked away, directing his attention to the small corner that was the kitchen. He sniffed the air testily.

"Need I ask what you're cooking?"

The human's eyes shone, "Do you want to try some? It's called Kitsune-udon! I've been practicing how to make it! It has- … Kyuubi-kun?"

The all-powerful youko had fallen back against the pillows, his face being one contorted in intense displeasure.

_: Of all things…! :_

"I mean, I heard that kitsune liked it, so…" the child gasped, "But if you don't, I can make something else!" he brightened, "Like ramen!"

Kyuubi mentally gagged himself, "No, kitsune-udon tastes just fine."

_: A little_ too _fine… :_

"Then I'll get you a bowl! It should be done now anyway!" hastily, the young shinobi rolled off the bed, landing on his knees, stood, and padded over to the stove, browsing through the surrounding cabinets for tableware.

Meanwhile, Kyuubi grunted and followed suit; however, he went straight to the table.

"Is green tea o.k?"

The brilliant red head bobbed shortly; the owner of the blood-red locks stared at his host intently, taking note of his every move.

It was apparent that the Namikaze didn't get visitors often; the kit was too pleased to retrieve two teacups, bowls, and sets of chopsticks, some of which he had to rinse off to rid of the dust.

"Sorry." The blue-eyed blond grinned sheepishly, aware that he had been caught.

With that comment said, he turned back to his task, picking up where he left off.

Slyly, Kyuubi took this time to inspect the human's home.

There weren't any pictures sitting out, or papers strewn everywhere; actually, it was pretty tidy; especially for someone at so young an age.

"Tadaa!"

The handsome youko snapped out of his musings at the arrival of food, which was placed right before him, along with a steaming teacup.

To put it simply, it looked _delicious_; but, perhaps this sudden interest in the meal was merely because he, as a youko, enjoyed kitsune-udon.

Without haste, he muttered a quick prayer under his breath, then dug in.

To his astonishment, the meal tasted as good as it appeared, and he reveled in the taste, particularly that of the tofu.

Grinning from ear to ear, Minato watched in amusement; who knew Kyuubi could appear so… _relaxed_?

"You like noodles as much as I do!" he laughed good-naturedly, helping himself to his own bowl.

Kyuubi grumbled angrily, but blushed all the same.

"Foolish kit."

--

Kitsune-udon: basically, udon with tofu.

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YaoiShadow: I've never tried kitsune-udon or Inarizushi (pockets of rice with fried tofu in it), but I'd really like to. X3

This chapter was written for the sole purpose of making the flow between the last and next chapter easier; so in other words, this one's pretty much pointless. XDU

Just a heads up: I was going to post two new chapters this week, but my sister and I need to get stuff ready for Momo con this weekend. XD So if you see a Shippu Sasuke (chap. 365+)/kimono Sasuke and Hokage Naruto/ kimono Naruto… that's us. U (just please don't hit me XDU)

Kyuubi: Thank god you're not embarrassing _me_ this time (though I actually feel a _little _sympathetic for the Uchiha brat…).

Yaoi: TAT Gee, thanks.

Anyway, read and review, kudasai! : 3

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Preview of next chapter (I'm so proud of myself for being so ahead X3):

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_/ She had thick, waist-length red hair, which was actually a seamless mix of red, orange and yellow upon closer inspection, and brilliant green eyes, a color that rivaled the forestry of Konoha itself. Her skin was fair and smooth, but did nothing to draw him into the thinking that she was helpless and weak. On the contrary, she gave off an air that showed she was able, and willing, to take on every student in the classroom. And win._

_She smirked slightly at his comment and then focused her attention back on the front of the class._

_: _She seems familiar to me…. But I can't put my finger on it_. : /_


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